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| BEFORE |
The soil in this area is about four inches deep, then hard-pan, and what's in those inches isn't that great. I realized my idea of plants spilling gracefully onto the path was not really happening. I needed to edge with boulders to match the other side, and bring in a bit of soil. I also sprinkled a few Osmocote pellets around. Not too many, but this isn't even the native soil really - it's builder's dirt basically, with some amendment.
Also the hummingbird sage is spreading everywhere and there are weeds too, of course. I put the hummingbird sage I pulled out into pots for reuse elsewhere.
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| AFTER |
The edging really makes a difference. Now I have to improve the other side to match! Actually on the left bed (as we look at the house) I've also recently planted some babies that I hope will also grow and fill in, and make that very sunny bed more attractive, while the slower growing shrubs get a grip.
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| Another view with Duncan in his spiffy new anti-sun coat (he has had treatment for skin cancer). |
Have I mentioned I love working with stone? Also - with plants!
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| Lovely plants! Fruits of propagation - into the garden! |
As far as the plants - I put mostly California fuchsia -
Epilobium canum - in the front, where there is more sun. They bloom orange-red around September, and alum root -
Heuchera micrantha - in the back, where there is more shade. They bloom early summer, and look like coral bells, the garden plant people are more familiar with.
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| Heuchera micrantha in foreground |
I grew all the plants I'm adding from seed, from local wild plants. Actually some were gathered from my garden - second generation from wild.
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| California fuchsia, young plants - with seaside daily bottom right and hummingbird sage right. |
I also added some ruby chalice clarkia -
Clarkia rubicunda - here ad there. Moved some seedlings from the pool garden where they are reseeding like mad! I'm not sure if they will flower here, or survive. They are a bit tasty to critters.
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| Hard to propagate columbine - I'm happy! |
Also columbine -
Aquilegia formosa - in the shady zone, and for the sunny zone sagewort -
Artemisia californica - and coyote mint -
Monardella villosa. These last are new ones for my propagation program - very happy to have been able to gather and grow them from wild seed.
It's a bit hard to see these small plants in the photos. I hope to show larger plants e'er long!
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| A curious critter - fence lizard - hiding in the stones. |
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| This sweet little lupine was there before I started adding plants. |
Then of course I sprayed everything with anti-deer stuff!
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| I don't endorse any products but this one is convenient and seems to do the job just fine. Also discourages rabbits. |
All very satisfying!! And today when I woke up - everything was still there! Bonus!
Today I put in a redwood habitat bed, again using graduates of the propagation program - but more of these things in another post.
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